The U.S. women’s national soccer team played Saturday before the largest crowd for a stand-alone home friendly in its illustrious history: 35,817 at Busch Stadium, home to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Two months ahead of the Women’s World Cup, the Americans rewarded their supporters with a 4-0 victory over New Zealand. Meghan Klingenberg scored from distance in the first half and St. Louis native Lori Chalupny, Julie Johnston and the University of Virginia’s Morgan Brian added goals in the last 15 minutes.

The only home friendlies with greater attendance were part of doubleheaders: 46,037 at Washington’s RFK Stadium at a 1998 event with the men’s team and 36,405 at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium in the 1999 Nike Women’s Cup.

Klingenberg’s goal came in the 14th minute and was eerily similar to her only other international goal, last fall at RFK Stadium.

Saturday’s strike:

Last year’s goal:

Chalupny’s goal:

Johnston’s goal:

Brian’s goal:

Steven GoffSteven Goff has covered soccer for The Washington Post since the early 1990s. His beats include D.C. United, MLS and the U.S. national teams. He has been on assignment at every World Cup since 1994, plus four Women's World Cups. Follow